Vapor motor



May 3, E932.

l.. M. PERSONS 3,856,586

VAPOR MOTOR Filed April 15, 1929 y fr CMM Patented May 3, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlca VAPOR MQTOB Application med April 18,

My invention relates to improvements in electrically or otherwise heated vapor motors such as are used for operation of switches,

controls and the like in response to temperav total quantity of heat used during a portion of the period, permitting the use of relatively large heating effects intermittently, in cooperation with a smaller constant heating effect. Other objects will appear from time to time 2 in the course of the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatlc section through a vapor motor embodying my invention.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout.

A indicates a rigid housing, herein shown as cylindrical, having a. relatively rigid bottom portion A1 and a flange or channel A2 surrounding the upper edge of the housing.

Associated with the fiange A2 is a flexible metallic bellows generally indicated as B, which closes the end of the housing A opposite to the rigid end wall A1. The bellows B is provided with a relatively rigid plate B1 to which is secured the rod or stem B2. This rod may be employed to perform work, as

:for example to operate a draft control in a heating plant.

I illustrate, as an example of means for transmitting the energy developed, a bracket C and a lever C1 pivoted thereto as at C2, the lever being slotted as at C3 to receive any suitable pin or connection C'1 whereby the` movement of the stem B2 is imparted to the lever. Cls indicates any suitable power transmitting means, for examplea rod or cord.

D indicates a passage block or extension from one side of the housing A which receives the lower end D2 of the heating chamber D1 192e, i serial no. 354,727.

herein shown as a c linder. About the chamber D1 is any suita le resistance Ds which is connected, as by the conductors D* and D5, with `any suitable source of electric ener diagrammatically indicated at D". D1 dlagrammatically indicates any suitable thermostat which may, for exam le, be responsive to room temperature if my evice is em loyed to control a domestic heating plant. t will be observed from the diagram that, when the thermostat is in circuit closing position, the resistance Ds is in constant circuit with the source D8 and is therefore constantly heated, until the thermostat breaks the circuit.

I further indicate an additional resistance E which is in conductive communication with the resistance D3 and the conductor D5 as at the point E1. E2 indicates a conductor extending from the opposite end of the resistance E to a terminal E3 which is adapted to be engaged by the flexible switch member E* which is mounted in any suitable and preferably ixed insulated base E5. E6 indicates a conductive connection from the switch member or connection E1. to the conductive line D1 which it meets as at E1.

It will be noted that the resistance E is at the upper portion of the cylinder, adjacent the upper portion of the liquid contained therein.

' In the operation of my device it will be understood that the resistance D3 is constantly heated, but to a heat insufficient to collapse the bellowsB and raise the stem B2 to its maximum. Assuming that an input of ten watts is insufficient to hold the bellows collapsed, and that an input of fteen watts would be sufficient I may employ a resistance D3 with an input of less than fifteen watts, say, of ten watts. But when the bellows are not collapsed, but are in the expanded position in which they arel shown in the figure, the switch E4 is in contact with the terminal E3 and a circuit is closed which includes the electric power source D and a supplemental or intermittently operative resistance E. This resistance `has an input sufficient to give a heating effect which, when taken in connection with the heating ei'ect of the constant resistance D2, is suicient to heat or boil said system, a sectional electrical reslstance the liquid and create the pressure necessary to collapse the bellows B, to move the stem B2 upwardly, to draw down on the connection C5, and, finally, to break the switch E4.

Note that the resistance E is positioned adj accnt the upper level of the liquid, where the boiling starts and when the circuit therethrough is closed a quick action is obtainable. For example I may employ a resistance having an input of forty Watts, which creates a rapid heating of the upper portion of the liquid and starts it quickly toboiling. As soon as the resultant pressure is suflicient to raise the stem B2 to the dotted line posi-` tion, the switch E4 is opened and the resistance E, is thereby cut out, leaving onlyv the const-ant resistance D3. -The liquid and vapor in the tube or chamber D1 remain heated for some time, theheating effect of the resistalice D3 being only slightly below that necessary to maintain the bellows B collapsed.

`When finally suflicient heat has been lost to permit the switch E4 to be closed, the process of intermittent heating at the upper level of the liquid is repeated.

There is a great advantage in having an uneven distribution of the heating etect. For example with a 20 watt input and even distribution of heat the expansion takes place, in one size of tube, in six minutes.

With the same tube, with the concentration of heat at the top, as herein shown, a 20 watt input will result in expansion in two minutes, In the present method, not only is the heat concentrated at the top, but an intense heat is employed. And I find, with a given size of tube that by employing an input of fifty watts at the top and ten watts at the bottom, a total input of sixty, I get expansion in fifteen seconds.

It will be realized that whereas I have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawing to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing.

It will be understood that when in the claims I speak of one portion of the resistance being in constant circuit with the source A of energy I wish to be understood as meaning constant circuit during the time that the thermostat D10 is in circuit closing position. When such a thermostat is employed, and isin circuit breaking position, the circuit through the conductive lines D* and I)5 is interrupted.

I claim:

1. In a vapor motor, a closed, liquid system including intercommunicating heating and working chambers, a working liquid in heater associated with the heating chamber and adapted to heat the liquid therein, a source of electric energy in circuit with said heater, one portion of the heating resistance being in constant circuit with said source of energy, and means for intermittently cutting the other portion oit and on, in response to the heating and cooling of said liquid.

2. In a vapor motor, a closed, liquid system including intercommunicating heating and working chambers, a Working liquid in said system, a sectional electrical resistance heater associated with the heating chamber and adapted to heat the liquid therein, a source of electric energy in circuit with said heater, one portion of the heating resistance being in constant circuit with said source of energy, and means for intermittently cutting the other portion oft' and on, in response to varitions in the pressure in said working cham- 3. In a vapor motor, a closed, liquid system including a heating chamber and a working chamber, said chambers being interconnected for fluid How, a liquid in said system, a movable pressure responsive work performing member associated with said working chamber and movable in response to changes in pressure in said working chamber, and means for creating pressure in said heating chamber, and thus in said working chamber, including a resistance associated with said heating chamber, and a source of electric energy in circuit with said resistance,said resistance including a portion with a relatively small input, in constant circuit with the source of electric energy, and a portion with a relatively large input, and means for interrmittently connecting the last mentioned portion of the resistance in circuit with said source of energy, said portion with the relatively large input being positioned above the portion with the relatively small input and adjacent the upper portion of the liquid contained in said heating chamber.

4. In a vapor motor, a closed, liquid system including a generally upright tubular heating chamber and a working chamber in communication therewith, a working liquid in said system, a movable member operatively associated with the working chamber and movable in response to pressure variations within the liquid therein, a resistance associated with said tubular heating chamber, said resistance including a portion about the lower portion of said chamber, with a relatively low input, and a portion about the upper portion of said vheating chamber, adjacent the upper ortion of the liquid contained therein, having a relatively high input, a source of potential for energizing the resistance, a temperature responsive switch for connectin said resistance to the source of potential, and an auxiliary switch operatively associated with the movable member of the working heating value,

l ber, and means for Y electric energy chamber for selectively de-energizing the upper portion of the resistance in response to pressure variations Within the Working chamber.

5. In a vapor motor, a closed, liquid filled system including communicating heating and Working chambers, a Work performing member associated with said Working chamber and adapted to do Work in response to changes in pressure in said Working chamber, and means for creating pressure in said heating chamber, and thus in said Working chamber, including a resistance associated with said heating chamber, and a source of electric energy in circuit with said resistance, said resistance including a portion having a low heating value and a portion having a higher the force required to operate the Work-performing member being greater than that resulting from the heat effect of the first mentioned portion, said first mentioned resistance portion being in constant circuit with the vsource of electric energy, and said second mentioned resistance portion having an input sufficient, in connection with the first mentioned resistance portion, to cause the Work performing member to do Work, and means for putting said second mentioned resistance portion intermittently in circuit with said source of energy.

6. In a vapor motor, a closed, liquid iilled system including communicating heating and working chambers, a work performing member associated with said Working vchamber and adapted to do work in response to changes in pressure in said working chamcreating pressure in said heating chamber, and thus in said working chamber, including a resistance associated with said heating chamber, and a source of in circuit with said resistance, said resistance including a portion having a low heating value and a portion having a higher heating value, the force required to portion of said resistance heating means in response to a predetermined movement of said expansion member.

8. The structure of claim 7 characterized by the employment of a supplemental circuit including a portion of said resistance heating means, a movable switch member in said circuit and means for moving said movable switch member in response to a predetermined movement of the expansion member.

9. In a vapor motor and control means adapted to be actuated thereby, a closed system including an elongated tubular heating chamber, an expansible liquid therein, an expansion member associated with said chamber, an electrical resistance heating coil surrounding the heating chamber and extending along the outer surface thereof, an energizing circuit for the heating resistance and means for cutting out a portion of said resistance in response to a predetermined movement of said expansion member, said portion of the heating resistance cut out in response to movement of the expansion member being positioned at the upper end of the heatin chamber, and said chamber being positione substantially upright.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 9th day of April 1929.

LAURENCE M. PERSONS.

operate the Work-performing member being i greater than that resulting from the heat effect of the first mentioned portion, said first mentioned resistance portion being in constant circuit with the source of electric energy, and said second mentioned resistance portion having an input sufHcient, in connection with the first mentioned resistance portion, to cause the Work erforming member to do Work, and means or putting vsaid sec` o nd mentioned resistance portion intermittently in circuit with said source of energy, in response to movement of said work performing member.

7. In a vapor motor and control means adapted to be actuated thereby, a. closed system, including a heating cham r, an expansible liquid therein, an expansion member associated with said chamber, resistance heating means for said chamber, an actuating circuit therefor and means for cutting out a. 

